1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communication apparatus for data transmission and reception and a data communication method, and more particularly to a data communication apparatus and method in which data is shared by a plurality of apparatuses.
2. Related Background Art
A data communication apparatus is known in which a computer connected to facsimiles remotely controls each facsimile and manages messages (image data) received by each facsimile from another communication apparatus.
If a facsimile and a computer have similar mail boxes (for storing in a memory each message transmitted from a transmission side by designating a box number and for managing messages in the memory), registration data under management of the mail box of a facsimile and received messages are transferred to the mail box of the computer to manage the messages thereat. In this case, the memory of the facsimile is prevented from becoming full of data, throughput of facsimile communications can be improved, and an operator of the computer can immediately check the information that at which mail box a message was received.
However, if such a mail box is provided at both the facsimile and computer and the setting contents (e.g., an ID number, a user name, or the like) are changed, for example, on the facsimile side, the setting contents on the computer side are also required to be changed. This work is cumbersome.
If errors are made during this work or the setting contents are entered erroneously at either the facsimile or computer, management and transfer of messages are impossible.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data communication apparatus and method which solves the above problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data communication apparatus and method allowing a plurality of apparatuses to share data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data communication apparatus and method capable of eliminating inconveniences to be caused by different data shared by a plurality of apparatuses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data communication apparatus and method capable of automatically changing registration data of one apparatus when registration data of another apparatus is changed.